Chief Justice Martha Koome speaking on July 27, 2026 / HANDOUTChief Justice Martha Koome has challenged justice sector institutions to move beyond measuring success through case statistics and instead focus on whether ordinary Kenyans can access justice that is affordable, understandable and responsive to their needs.
Speaking during the launch of five justice-sector reform instruments at the 38th National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) meeting in Mombasa on Monday, Koome said the real measure of a justice system lies in the experience of those seeking its services rather than the number of cases concluded.
"We are also launching the People-Centred Justice Guidelines, together with the accompanying People-Centred Justice Study," Koome said.
"These two documents invite us to rethink justice from the perspective of the people who seek our services. They remind us that justice cannot be measured solely by the number of cases concluded or institutions established. Rather, it must be measured by the experience of the justice seeker: whether services are understandable, accessible, affordable, inclusive and responsive to people's lived realities."
She said the accompanying study provides an evidence-based foundation for the guidelines and positions Kenya among countries embracing people-centred justice as a defining principle of justice-sector reform.
According to Koome, justice institutions should recognise that members of the public do not experience the Judiciary, prosecution agencies, legal aid providers, correctional services and probation offices as separate entities but as one justice system.
"The public does not experience the justice system as separate institutions of investigation, prosecution, adjudication, legal aid, corrections, probation or rehabilitation. To the ordinary Kenyan, these are all part of one justice system," she said.
She noted that any weakness within one institution inevitably affects public confidence in the entire justice chain, underscoring the need for stronger collaboration across justice-sector agencies.
"Our responsibility, therefore, is to ensure that the justice chain functions as one coherent system—efficient, coordinated, accountable and centred on the needs of the people," Koome said.
The Chief Justice spoke as the NCAJ launched five reform instruments aimed at improving coordination and service delivery across justice institutions.
Among them is the Justice Sector ICT Policy and Action Plan, which provides a roadmap for digital transformation by strengthening secure information sharing, improving data governance and reducing duplication of work across institutions.
Koome said technology has become essential in the administration of justice because it enhances coordination and makes services more accessible, transparent and efficient.
She highlighted progress already made in integrating the Judiciary's Case Tracking System with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions' Uadilifu Case Management System, allowing criminal cases and charge sheets to be transmitted electronically.
The Judiciary has also established digital accounts for the Kenya Prisons Service, enabling prison facilities to file appeals, track cases and verify court orders electronically.
Other integrations include the National Transport and Safety Authority for real-time verification of motor vehicle ownership, the Ministry of Lands' Ardhi Sasa platform for land disputes, the Probation and Aftercare Service and the Department of Children Services.
Specialised confidential digital accounts have also been developed for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, while integration with the Witness Protection Agency is underway.
"I believe these are milestones worth celebrating," Koome said, urging justice institutions to embrace electronically authenticated documents and progressively transition away from paper-based processes.
The Council also launched Standard Operating Procedures on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to strengthen coordination among justice institutions and ensure survivors receive timely, dignified and trauma-informed services.
"Survivors should never experience secondary victimisation because institutions fail to communicate or because referral systems are weak," Koome said.
Another reform instrument unveiled was the Standard Operating Procedures for the Effective Undertaking of Service Delivery Initiatives, which seeks to improve the planning and coordination of justice-sector outreach programmes.
Koome said the reforms demonstrate what institutions can achieve through collaboration and called on justice-sector agencies to remain focused on delivering practical improvements to Kenyans.
"The public does not judge us by the number of meetings we convene or policies we approve," she said.
"The success of our work will be measured by the tangible improvements experienced by those who depend on our justice system every day."
